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2011-10-02 - Dealing With Tabloids
Saks Fifth Avenue is one of the most upscale, well-reputed, most expensive stores not just in New York City, but in the world. And they're worth every penny. Even the likes of, say, Anthony Stark, can be found in their aisles, given the accessories and clothing that can be found here. At least, it's possible to have such an encounter. But this particular day, Susan Storm is doing everything in her power to have no encounter at all. She has on one of those colored scarves, covering her hair. Big, dark sunglasses covering her eyes and obscuring the lines of her face. And she keeps her gaze down, rarely meeting anyone's glances. She is also wearing an ankle-length dark overcoat, suitable to the misty, rainy weather. Most would never recognize her, as she checks out the newly unveiled display for the Butterfly Wings makeup products. Even burning with shame after the latest tabloid fare, she could not resist coming out to check on the unveiling of her company's latest public offering. Which Tony would fully understand. Yes, he saw the report. And he knows that journalist...he's sure it's exaggerated, if not absolutely untrue. Or, maybe, Susan Storm was drunk. Or the other woman, whoever she was, was drunk. More likely the latter. Recognize Susan? Mr. Stark certainly does. He's checking out men's colognes not too far away, but his gaze drifts over her, rests. Oh dear. The poor woman is clearly embarrassed as anything. Utterly mortified, to be sure, and clearly trying to hide, if perhaps not as successfully as she might like. Thankfully, she has not yet sprouted a papparazzi tail. Small favors. The young blonde checks out the display from a few other angles, and then stands back to watch one of the makeup counter girls go through the sales pitch with a customer to see how things are going. She has not yet spotted Tony - men's cologne isn't on her to-do list, apparently. Tony Stark selects a bottle, then starts to make his way to the cashier. He 'accidentally' (and not as subtly as he thinks, hello, Tony Stark) happens to drift past Susan. As he does, he murmurs, "Are you okay?" Definitely not as subtle as he thinks. Sue startles a bit, glancing up guiltily towards the source of that smooth, soft voice, and then winces. Oh, goodness. Tony! "I ... I'll survive. Somehow." It's unlikely he could miss the defeated, thin sound to her voice. Where did all that confident businesswoman pinache go? "Want to join me for coffee, or am I too much of a target?" Jean will understand, he figures, as long as he keeps this to a public place. "I have to assume you are far too much of a target, Tony." Susan offers, softly, but clearly with some regret. She would love to commisserate with someone, and frankly Tony is one of the few people she knows who has had this degree of problems with tabloid press. It will be around now that Tony is likely to catch sight of two guys carrying high-end camera rigs, heading through the aisles of the store, angling in on his position. Whether they are here for Susan or have spotted him, there's currently no way to know. Tony Stark sighs. "And here comes trouble. We should probably split." Okay. He wants to help her, but what's the best way to do so? He's hardly about to invite her to the penthouse... "Unless, of course, you want to consider the fact that being seen with me might quell some of the rumors." "But it would start new ones, just as untrue and just as damaging." Susan utters. Whether Tony is aware of it or not, Susan ascribes to a very old standard of conduct and personal reputation, something frankly better suited to fifty years ago than to the modern day. But that's who she is. "I have already been labelled a fallen woman. I think your reputation is singed enough, don't you?" Still, if he leads, she is likely to follow in search of safety or the illusion of it. Tony Stark hrms. "True. On the other hand, I know exactly how to kill them. After all, we're both in the tech business, albeit in different areas." Susan gapes momentarily up at Tony, and then follows where he leads. That answer intrigues her, to say the least. "You know how to kill the rumors?" After all, the only thing that kills rumors like this is something bigger and badder. And there will always be the memory of this story hanging around Sue's reputation. "I know how to kill any rumors of people thinking we're together. Romantically, that is. Of course, then people will probably think I'm trying to use your techniques to stealth the suit, but hey." "What?" Tony has managed to lose Susan entirely. She has pretty much no clue what he's about now. And those reporters are almost on them. Loudly. "So, I think we should discuss this deal best over lunch." He's making sure that's what the reporters hear...and wishing for just a touch of Jean's talent so he could explain properly. Poor Susan. Susan isn't dim. She catches Tony's shift in tone and demeanor, and follows along as best she can. "Alright, then. You can name the place, Mister Stark. I am interested to hear just what it is you have in mind." "Are you familiar with Echo Dim Sum?" Mmm...Dim Sum. Presumably Tony's craving it or something, of course, or he wouldn't pick the place. But...it's pretty good, if SUsan's heard of it. "I have heard of it, though I have not eaten there yet." Susan answers, letting herself be drawn along to follow Tony. They are quite a spectacle, of coure, and photos will be taken. But they can't exactly label Susan a harlot seed for going to a business dinner with Tony Stark, now can they? Tony Stark leads the way. "I think only people who hate Chinese food would dislike it." It's expensive, of course, but not incredibly high-brow. Quite a sensible kind of place. And definitely NOT a date-y restaurant. Susan relaxes a bit, once they have reached the restaurant. Definitely not a date sort of place for either of them, though others might disagree. It's a decent place, good food, and they can get a table with enough privacy to talk without being overheard easily. Heaven, for someone who has become such a target of the papparazzi. "Thank you, Tony, for your help. It has not been a good day." "What actually happened? I'm making the basic assumption that the paparazzi are exaggerating. And I know that reporter." Tony's lips quirk. Susan sighs and shakes her head. "I don't really know what happened. I invited a friend - a bit of a business acqaintance - out to dinner, to talk. She's a model we've hired. She showed up, but she wasn't dressed appropriately. When I showed her I had her Butterfly Wings samples, she got very excited, and leaned over the table to hug me. She's not the most restrained person, and I know she was a bit scandalous. But I have no idea how anyone could get the impression we were /dating/. Or ... well ... whatever it is they were implying." "Typical. I know that reporter. Even by paparazzi standards, he makes shit up. Most people know that, you'll be glad to know." Susan sighs and shrugs her shoulders. "Many people may know that. But clearly lots of people want to believe these kinds of lies. And it's so mortifying. It's not as if it /isn't/ a picture of me, out to dinner at a fine restaurant, with a woman dressed like that." The seed of truth at the heart of the lie. "That's how a lot of models dress. They tend to lose whatever body modesty they had after they've had to undress in front of a male designer a few times." Ow, but he does have a point. "We've never had any models, other than Jan and I, until now." Susan offers by way of explanation. She's not used to people who dress like that, or act like that. Those without a modest bone to be found in their entire bodies. That's all very new to her, and a bit scary now. "I could never get undressed like." she comments. "I suppose it takes a certain personality. Models can be fun, but a lot of them tend to be on the shallow side. Anyway. For one thing, these rumors die with time. Ignoring it might be the best policy...as hard as that is." Perhaps a good reason why Susan is not really a model, just models for Janet. She isn't shallow and doesn't seem to have the certain personality. "Very hard to ignore, honestly. It's just so humiliating and mortifying." Tony Stark nods. "But the more you react to it, the more it looks like it's true," Tony notes. "Trust me. I've had to learn strategies to keep from being romantically linked to every female I talk to." Susan sighs and nods. "I can imagine. I mean, I am aware of your reputation." Some of it quite well deserved, and apparently some of it not quite so much. Susan will have to learn the difference, if she can. "It's very hard for me to imagine ignoring something like this. Something so slanderous to my reputation." Tony Stark nods. "Unfortunately, these people enjoy making us look bad. Not that *my* reputation is entirely undeserved." Susan can only really sigh softly. "I can't begin to imagine how to tell the difference between what of your reputation would be deserved and what not, Tony. Perhaps part of why I take it so seriously. My own, I mean. I'm sorry. I know you mean well. But it's hard for me." She's someone who has always prided herself on her reputation. On being 'the good girl'. Tony Stark nods. "I know, but trust me, the more you defend yourself, the more they'll assume there's smoke behind the fire. As it's not true at all, you need to act like you absolutely believe it's not true. Act above it. I know that's hard." "I am not good at all at acting 'above' someone or something." Truth is, Susan doesn't have a snobby bone in her body. It's what allows all of this to hurt her so much. Tony Stark nods. "But seriously, is this photographer worth getting so upset over? They're making stuff up about you." "I don't really know if he's worth it, Tony. I just know how it makes me feel to see that stuff, to read what they are saying about me." Susan doesn't try to examine what it is about all of this that so gets under her skin and upsets her. But clearly something about it strikes a nerve. A psychologist would have a field day with this. "He isn't." A pause. "You're too good a person to let them get to you." And she did have a good reputation. That probably counts for something. She also...needs a major infusion of self esteem.